16 Famous Designers Show Us Their Favorite Notebooks: “…what makes the notebooks of designers special isn’t so much what notebook they use, as how they use them. Below, enjoy a peek inside the working notebooks of some of the most prolific designers today—as well as their thoughts on what makes a great one.”

Metro Expo Line to begin service to Santa Monica on May 20: “After a five-decade hiatus, passenger rail service will return to Los Angeles’ traffic-choked Westside in May. The 6.6-mile, $1.5-billion extension of the Expo Line to Santa Monica will begin carrying passengers on May 20, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said Thursday.”

Tom Lamb Maps: Artist Tom Lamb illustrates in loose, but detailed care several of LA’s best known neighborhoods. Los Angeles business district skyscrapers are at the center of this Downtown L.A. map print, with such landmarks as Bunker Hill, Little Tokyo, and Olvera Street also included. Downtown Los Angeles has undergone significant change during recent years, with major additions such as Staples Center, the Marriott L.A. Live Hotel, and several loft spaces marking what has been called a Downtown L.A. renaissance.

Street Trees Really Do Make People Healthier: Researchers discovered that those who live in areas with more street trees reported better health perception than those in neighborhoods with fewer trees. Regardless of their actual health, they felt they were healthier. But it turns out they were actually healthier too: they suffered from fewer cardio-metabolic conditions.

This Iconic Map Shows off L.A.’s More Mysterious Corners: “This 1932 map of the “Wonder City of America” paints a lively picture of our multi-faceted city. At the time this map was made, Los Angeles was mired in the economic quagmire of the Great Depression, and the city was on the stump to lure tourists west and entice them to stay. The metropolis may have only been the nation’s tenth most populous, but it was one of few areas where the number of residents was growing. With an economy based on manufacturing, agriculture, good weather (tourism), and fantasies in film, happy days were sure to come. This map shows a city ready to make the best of the worst of times.”

About

AHBE LAB is a forum for exploration, inquiry, and collaboration. It is a place to share who we are, what inspires us, what we are dreaming about. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into our design process.